Al-Anbiya (ٱلْأَنْبِيَاء)

Surah Al-Anbiya was revealed in Makkah before the period of Hijirah and during the early period of Islam. It is the 21st Surah in the Quran, consisting of 112 verses (ayaats) and divided into 7 Rukus. The Surah can be found in 17th Juz after Surah Ta-Ha. Surah Anbiya was revealed to comfort the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions as they faced hostile behavior from the people of Makkah. 

It served as a source of reassurance for the Muslims that Allah is with them and rejects the ones who trouble the Prophet and refrain from believing in the Oneness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). The Surah also states severe punishments for the Mushriks and emphasizes following the Quran for guidance. As Surah Ta-Ha recounts the story of Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), in the next Surah that is Surah Al-Anbiya, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) recounts the stories of various Prophets including Ibrahim (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), Moosa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), Dawood (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), and Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). 

٢١ - ٱلْأَنْبِيَاء

21 - Al-Anbiya

اِقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُہُمْ وَہُمْ فِيْ غَفْلَۃٍ مُّعْرِضُوْنَ۝۱ۚ
Iqtaraba lilnnasi hisabuhum wahum fee ghaflatin muAAridoona

English

Ahmed Ali

NEAR HAS COME the reckoning for men, but they turn away in remissness.

1

جزء

١٧

مَا يَاْتِيْہِمْ مِّنْ ذِكْرٍ مِّنْ رَّبِّہِمْ مُّحْدَثٍ اِلَّا اسْتَـمَعُوْہُ وَہُمْ يَلْعَبُوْنَ۝۲ۙ
Ma yateehim min thikrin min rabbihim muhdathin illa istamaAAoohu wahum yalAAaboona

English

Ahmed Ali

Never does a new reminder come to them from their Lord but they listen to it with dalliance.

2

لَاہِيَۃً قُلُوْبُہُمْ۝۰ۭ وَاَسَرُّوا النَّجْوَي۝۰ۤۖ الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا۝۰ۤۖ ہَلْ ھٰذَاۗ اِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ۝۰ۚ اَفَتَاْتُوْنَ السِّحْرَ وَاَنْتُمْ تُبْصِرُوْنَ۝۳
Lahiyatan quloobuhum waasarroo alnnajwa allatheena thalamoo hal hatha illa basharun mithlukum afatatoona alssihra waantum tubsiroona

English

Ahmed Ali

Their minds are lost in frivolous pastimes; and the evil-doers discuss secretly: "Is he not but only a man like you? Then why are you taken in by magic seeingly?"

3

قٰلَ رَبِّيْ يَعْلَمُ الْقَوْلَ فِي السَّمَاۗءِ وَالْاَرْضِ۝۰ۡوَہُوَالسَّمِيْعُ الْعَلِيْمُ۝۴
Qala rabbee yaAAlamu alqawla fee alssamai waalardi wahuwa alssameeAAu alAAaleemu

English

Ahmed Ali

He said: "My Lord knows whatever is spoken in the heavens and the earth. He hears all and knows everything."

4

بَلْ قَالُـوْۗا اَضْغَاثُ اَحْلَامٍؚبَلِ افْتَرٰىہُ بَلْ ہُوَشَاعِرٌ۝۰ۚۖ فَلْيَاْتِنَا بِاٰيَۃٍ كَـمَاۗ اُرْسِلَ الْاَوَّلُوْنَ۝۵
Bal qaloo adghathu ahlamin bali iftarahu bal huwa shaAAirun falyatina biayatin kama orsila alawwaloona

English

Ahmed Ali

Yet they say: "These are only confused dreams," or rather: "He has invented them;" or: "He is only a poet. Let him therefore bring a miracle to us as the earlier (apostles) were sent with."

5

مَاۗ اٰمَنَتْ قَبْلَہُمْ مِّنْ قَرْيَۃٍ اَہْلَكْنٰہَا۝۰ۚ اَفَہُمْ يُؤْمِنُوْنَ۝۶
Ma amanat qablahum min qaryatin ahlaknaha afahum yuminoona

English

Ahmed Ali

Not one habitation that We destroyed before them had believed. So how can they believe?

6

وَمَاۗ اَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ اِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوْحِيْۗ اِلَيْہِمْ فَسْــَٔـلُوْۗا اَہْلَ الذِّكْرِ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ۝۷
Wama arsalna qablaka illa rijalan noohee ilayhim faisaloo ahla alththikri in kuntum la taAAlamoona

English

Ahmed Ali

Never did We send a message before you but through a man, whom We inspired. If you do not know, then ask the keepers of the oracles of God.

7

وَمَا جَعَلْنٰہُمْ جَسَدًا لَّا يَاْكُلُوْنَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُوْا خٰلِدِيْنَ۝۸
Wama jaAAalnahum jasadan la yakuloona alttaAAama wama kanoo khalideena

English

Ahmed Ali

We did not make their bodies immune to hunger, nor were they immortal.

8

ثُمَّ صَدَقْنٰہُمُ الْوَعْدَ فَاَنْجَيْنٰہُمْ وَمَنْ نَّشَاۗءُ وَاَہْلَكْنَا الْمُسْرِفِيْنَ۝۹
Thumma sadaqnahumu alwaAAda faanjaynahum waman nashao waahlakna almusrifeena

English

Ahmed Ali

Then We made Our promise good to them and delivered whomsoever We pleased, and destroyed the transgressors.

9

لَقَدْ اَنْزَلْنَاۗ اِلَيْكُمْ كِتٰبًا فِيْہِ ذِكْرُكُمْ۝۰ۭ اَفَلَا تَعْقِلُوْنَ۝۱۰ۧ
Laqad anzalna ilaykum kitaban feehi thikrukum afala taAAqiloona

English

Ahmed Ali

We have sent down to you a Book which has a reminder for you. Do you not understand?

10

Theme and Subject Matter of Surah Al-Anbiya (الْأَنْبِيَاء)

As we can see the name of the Surah is Al-Anbiya, so the main subject matter and theme of the Surah is about the life of different Prophets sent down by Allah upon His people for guidance. Surah Al-Anbiya talks about their Prophethood journey and the challenges they faced in the path of Allah. The Surah also talks about believing in the Oneness of Allah, the Day of Judgment, worldly life, the Quran being the guiding source, warning for the non-believers, and reassurance and comfort for the believers. 

The Surah narrates the stories of various Prophets and the challenges they faced while spreading the words of Allah. Surah Al-Anbiya talks about the confrontation of Ibrahim (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) with his father and the people about idol worshipping. It narrates the story of Lut (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and the destruction of its people due to their sins and also states the efforts of Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) for his people and about the flood that destroyed everything except the Noah ark and everything inside it. 

Surah Al-Anbiya states the wisdom and ruling power of Suleyman (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and Dawud (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and the Prophethood period of Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). The patience of Ayub (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), the story of Yunus (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), Zakariya (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), and the miraculous birth of Yahya (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) are all part of this Surah. 

Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) also gives great tidings to those who believe in Allah, the Prophet, and the Day of Judgment and warns of the dire consequences to those who stand against it. The Surah also emphasizes the reality of the Day of Judgment and how everyone will be held accountable for their own deeds and will be given punishment or rewards based on it. 

Virtues and Benefits Surah Al-Anbiya (الْأَنْبِيَاء)

In a Hadith narrated by Abdullah bin Mas’ud, Rasool Allah (ﷺ) said:

“The Surahs of Bani Israel, Al-Kahaf, Mariyam, Ta-Ha, and Al-Anbiya are from the very old Surahs which I learnt by heart, and they are my first property.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari 4739, Book 65) 

Surah Al-Anbiya was close to the heart of the Prophet (ﷺ) as it brings comfort and glad tidings for those who obey Allah and follow the right path. It also served as a source of spiritual purification, encouraging the believers to perform good deeds and avoid the bad ones. Surah Al-Anbiya protects the believers against shirk, clearing punishments for those who believe in other gods except Allah and stand against the religion sent down by Allah for worldly things. 

Surah Al-Anbiya recounts the lives of many Prophets, providing us with knowledge of their lives and stories, helping us connect with our religion on a deeper level. It also comforted Rasool Allah (ﷺ) as he learned how other Prophets also went through some extreme challenges, but with their strong will and trust in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), they all were successful in their mission.